Winding Road
by mickeylover303
Summary: Set of canon and AU drabbles about Team Seven with variations of gen, slash, and het.


_I really shouldn't be popping out stories right now but might as well write them when the motivation hits. Slight crossovers with Grave of the Fireflies, Pirates of the Caribbean. Plus, I had this strong urge to write Kiba, and I really like the idea of Samurai and Yakuza AUs.  
_

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**Winding Road**

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**Feudal**

When blood smatters on the forest floor, it seeps into the dirt of an insubstantial area deemed neutral by the two rival factions surrounding it.

And in the forest is where he meets the master for whom loyalty he has since denounced.

The blade slides against his jugular with acute pressure to make sure his skin still tingles. Uchiha Sasuke licks his lips at the feel of cool metal at his throat, the sensation of liquid filling his mouth, and the tension surrounding his own blade as he plunges it further into the chest of the master with blond hair.

**Refrain**

When Sasuke leaves for the first time, Sakura cries and clings to Naruto because she can't hold their team together on her own.

When Sakura sees Sasuke after three years, she cries again. Naruto falls to his knees, but Sakura's tears are already dry by the time Naruto gets up.

When Sasuke dies by her hand, Sakura doesn't cry. She can summon no emotion when she can no longer feel the rise and fall of Sasuke's chest. Because Naruto lies just as still beside him, and Sakura doesn't want to come to terms with the fact that she's now alone.

**Tattoo**

The imprint is small, three black tomoe pointing outward, bunched together forming a circle near his collarbone. He's had it for two years, but his adopted sister finds out about it today. Sakura's boyfriend tells her, Naruto with the bright hair and clear eyes, who tries too hard to be the older-brother figure Sasuke doesn't want.

The sting that still lingers when Orochimaru first marks him is almost as heavy as the disappointment in Sakura's eyes.

Sasuke wants to detest her for not being able to understand but knows better than to believe being related by blood means anything, anyway.

**Control**

It isn't until he breaks nearly every bone in Sasuke's body that Naruto is satisfied.

Slowly, he lets a hand trail up Sasuke's side, anticipating the shiver that follows. A dark bruise is forming, one of many on Sasuke's skin, and Naruto recognises that he's responsible for putting it there.

Sasuke glares at him with unfocused eyes but is unbearably quiet.

The touch grows unsympathetic, and Naruto shifts against the wall of the cave. He wants Sasuke to tell him it's okay Naruto can only save him this way, but Naruto's body is trembling when Sasuke still refuses to speak.

**Confession**

Sakura is sweet. Like the strawberry mochi sold at specialty shops that almost matches her hair and the Hello Kitty charms on her silver bracelet that make a clinking noise whenever she flicks her wrist.

She twirls a finger in her hair coyly, unable to look him in the eyes as he reads the note she's given him. The inevitable rejection still comes, and Naruto's anger burns at the sight of Sakura's blotched cheeks.

Later, Naruto punches Sasuke after school. He can't forgive the bastard for breaking Sakura's heart, painfully aware Sakura will never see him like she sees Sasuke.

**Bomb**

Naruto carries Sasuke on his back, and Sakura walks beside them worriedly because Sasuke has been unconscious for nearly a day. She fumbles with the sleeve of her summer yukata, the one with the pretty floral pattern her mother had spent 300 yen for that's now charred at the hem on the bottom.

Sakura can tell Naruto is tired, but she's too afraid to suggest they stop.

Nervously, she chews on the last Sakuma drop from the candy tin, relishing in the moment they sat together in the garden in front of Naruto's house before the sky fell over them.

**Normal**

People call them strange because they're the only genin team in Konoha without a girl even though Kiba likes to joke that Sasuke's mood swings more than make up for it. However, it's no stranger than Team Eight having two girls, and Naruto almost feels jealous that Shino is teamed with Sakura-chan.

Sasuke also points out it's way less strange than Kiba's infatuation with Akamaru, and Naruto laughs at the outrage on Kiba's face. But then Sasuke smiles in a way that reminds Naruto about his accidental kiss with Sasuke, and Naruto thinks it's good that they're strange after all.

**Envy**

She doesn't like her at first. Sakura doesn't like her because Sasuke gathers the attention of those around her without trying, and Sakura almost hates her because she admits she falls prey to it, too.

It's more than Sasuke's appearance that Naruto seems to be the only boy impervious to. There's something about the way Sasuke carries herself, the kind of confidence and cool demeanour that Sakura doesn't have.

She pushes her bangs in front of her forehead subconsciously, wondering if Sasuke scrutinises her like Ino does, but there's something in those eyes that makes Sakura blush and walk away.

**Amity**

Naruto is his best friend, but Sasuke becomes a really good friend somewhere between junior high and college, and Kiba doesn't know what to think the night Sasuke appears on his doorstep soaking wet.

It's the night Sasuke catches Sakura naked in his and Naruto's bed, and three days later Kiba hesitates to answer Naruto's calls since Sasuke turns off his own phone.

Awkwardly, he stares at Sasuke, and Sasuke tells him to leave even though it's Kiba's apartment. Kiba complies because Sasuke doesn't have anywhere else to go and pretends he doesn't notice that Sasuke's eyes are still red.

**Almost**

The smoke from the fire fades into the sky, and Sasuke makes another tally mark in the sand, counting the days he's been stranded on this island with the pirate who tried to kidnap him.

"Food and rum."

"You're an idiot."

Naruto murmurs contently. "Probably, oh—and travelling, too, but mostly food and rum."

"You're even more stupid when you're drunk.

Naruto's breath is foul, but Sasuke relaxes as Naruto inches closer. Thoughts of his fiancée disappear into blue eyes, Sakura's warm smile becoming a lascivious grin—all brought to a screeching halt when Naruto passes out on Sasuke's shoulder.


End file.
